To know Love
by WaitingForWHO
Summary: "I said my parents were dentists, not sane." It is the summer after fifth year. Harry can't take the guilt and loneliness anymore. He calls Hermione. But she has been keeping a secret. 10, to be precise. I do not own HP
1. Chapter 1

The darkness of his room seemed to close in on him. The piles of Dudley's old toys and gadgets piled around him.

"_You couldn't save me, Harry."_

He pulled his blankets tighter around him in the chilly room. His godfathers almost forgotten voice echoed through his mind. Images that just never seem to leave, flashed before his emerald eyes.

"_Why didn't you protect me, Harry."_

He shoved his hands over his ears.

"_I couldv'e died, Harry."_

"Stop it," He whispered to the night.

"_Neville should've been the chosen one."_

"But I'm your best friend!" His eyes clenched in despair.

"_You are worthless. If you can't protect a muggleborn, how will you fight the Dark Lord."_

Harry sat up, gulping down the sobs. He couldn't cry. Especially with his Aunt and Uncle down the hall. Quickly throwing off the torn, threadbare blankets, he crawled to his trunk. Snapping the latch open, he immediately regretted it as a picture of the Marauders stood atop his things. Taking a deep breath, he started pushing aside articles of clothing and books, searching through his trouser pockets for the little scrap of paper Hermione had given to him.

It took to going to the bottom of the trunk, but he finally found it. Her neat numbers glowed like the Holy Grail to him.

As quietly as he could, he closed the trunk, and padded his way to the door. Hand on the knob, he twisted it, wincing as the hinges croaked.

Finally, it pulled open.

Next adventure, the terrible stairs he had been forced under for most of his life. But that did give him an advantage. He knew every creak and groan by heart, and soon made it to the bottom, not a peep from his relatives to be heard.

Heading to the kitchen, he started having his doubts. Would she be awake? Would she answer? Would she even want to talk to him? After all, he nearly got her killed, and permanently gave her a scar to remind her of it.

Gathering up all his Gryffindor courage, though it seemed to be wasted on the way down here, he punched in the number.

He could feel a lump forming in his throat. Of sadness or anxiety, he wasn't to sure, but as the ringing stopped, he realized it was too late.

"'Ello?" Came the grouchy, grumpy, but very much alive, Hermione Granger.

"Hermoine," He whispered with relief and yet, guilt, "It's Harry. I would like to take you up on that offer. I would like to spend the summer with you."


	2. Chapter 2

When Hermione woke to to an obnoxiously loud ringing, she wanted nothing more then to roll over and smash it against the wall.

_This is what I get for falling asleep on the couch,_ she thought to herself.

But sadly, the curiosity, and the 12 other members of the household waking up, stopped her. What she didn't expect to find was a distraught Harry at two in the morning. Of course she would do anything for him, but he was rather pushing it right now.

That is what lead her to be arriving at Number 4 Privot Dr. at 3 am. As her disgruntled father pulled up to the perfectly manicured house, she could just barely spot Harry amongst the darkness. He was sitting on his trunk, head in hands, looking properly downtrodden. He looked up as they arrived.

Jumping out of the car, Hermione hesitantly approached him. But that apparently wasn't needed, as he ran up to her near seconds after her feet hit the pavement. He seemed to pause, as if deciding something, before grabbing her around the shoulders.

"Oh!" Hermione said, surprised. Never had Harry ever shown a wanting to hold, or even really touch her. He must certainly be upset. She also knew that her father was rolling his eyes, muttering about how he was going to "toughen the boy up", before he grabbed the trunk and shoved it into the back of the car.

Harry finally let go of Hermione, taking a deep breath. "You alright?" Hermione asked, concern clear in her voice.

"I will be. Sorry for crying."

"Never apologize." She turned, leading him back to the car. "Now, I have to warn you, my family is quite...unique."

"I thought you said your parents were dentists?"

"I did say they were dentists, not sane."

The drive to Creaky Hollow, as her father lovingly named the forest surrounding their home, was a quiet one. Harry didn't dare speak of his dreams in front of Hermione's dad, who had greeted "The names Craig, but I go by Captain or father. You may call me neither, it is still Mr. Granger to you."

"My father was in the Navy as a teen. Never really left him."

Harry had guessed as much, due to the bulking size of the man. Not the same way as the Dursleys. No, this man was tall, with wrestler muscles flexing in his arms. Never in his life would he imagine he had been a dentist, if not for Hermione telling him.

A hour drive later, and they were pulling up the long, winding driveway. Creatures eyes glowed through the trees, and one ducked out of the way of Mr. Grangers fast speed . Harry could just make out a sprawling house in the dim light of the moon.

There didn't seem to be more then one level, but it stretched for ages. All but one window was out, where, as he got closer, he could see a figure in, which soon disappeared out of sight.

Finally, pulling into a garage where two other cars were, Harry felt the nerves of a new, unknown, place set in. He was used to Dursleys, Hogwarts, Burrow, not in the order.

Hesitantly he stepped out of the car, Hermione was already out and beside her door.

"It will be pretty calm once we go in, don't expect that tomorrow morning." He went to answer, but she was already ushering him into the garage door, that apparently led to the kitchen. "You will be staying in the guest room. Its right next to my brothers so if you hear snoring, just come get me and I will give them a good knock on the he-"

"You have brothers?!" He hissed at her. The peaceful summer he had imagined with him and Hermione suddenly flying out the window. "How many?"

"Enough." She grumbled, sending a look to her parents.

Taking his hand, she started leading him through the spiraling halls of the house. Pictures lined the wall, but it was too dark to make out anyone in them.

"You'll meet my mum tomorrow. Don't worry, nothing like my dad. Well, in most sense."

Finally they arrived at a plain wooden door. Remember, if you need anything, I am the last door on the left." She pointed down the hall they just came from.

"See you in the morning, Harry."

"Night." He whispered, scared of waking up her brothers. If they were anything like her Dad, well, he would be properly scared. Wands he could duel. Physical fighting, not his forte. With another squeeze of his hand, Hermione left him in the hall, Leaving him to open the door. It was not the room he first noticed, but the tapping at the window. His snowy owl had followed him.

"You have to stay outside for now, I will talk to them in the morning." The Dursleys put up fight after fight of keep the bird in the home, so he didn't know how the Grangers would react. He knew Hermione cat was here, but he did not know of any other animals.

Turning around, Harry saw a bed, bigger then the one at Hogwarts, beckoning him to come and jump. But he resisted, didn't think Mr. Granger took to kindly to people jumping on his things. Calmly, as calmly as he could, he got under the covers, and was surprisingly, out like a light.

**AN: Thank you for reading. I think of this as a filler chapter, the real fun starts in the next one. As I go, I hope for the chapters to get longer. I know this chapter was a little disjointed but oh well. **

**Please review**

**Julia**


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